New Delhi: India's drug regulator on Friday ordered state authorities to ensure all pharmaceutical factories comply with international manufacturing standards by January, rejecting industry pleas for more time after toxic cough syrup was linked to additional child deaths since September.

The government had directed drugmakers in late 2023 to upgrade plants to World Health Organization-recommended norms, including measures to prevent cross-contamination and enable batch testing.

The move followed global outrage after India-made cough syrups were tied to the deaths of more than 140 children in Africa and Central Asia, tarnishing the country’s reputation as the \"pharmacy of the world.\"

Large pharmaceutical firms met a June 2024 deadline, while smaller manufacturers were given until Decem

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